Chapter Twenty-Two
"Details"
The man was right the Starship Captain realized. It was time to tell this portion of the truth. Turning to Garrett for an instant who merely blinked her affirmation, he began. "We are the space faring, Starfleet section of the United Federation of Planets*, an interstellar alliance of planetary Governments and colonies united for mutual trade, exploratory, cultural, scientific, diplomatic and defensive endeavors. At present we have over one hundred thirty member systems spread out over seven thousand light-years. Two of the founding members are Earth and Vulcan." He saw shock and understanding among many of Brindley's staff as he confirmed what they had begun to suspect. "Starships were designed to explore, and defend the membership. The war with the Klingon Empire has cause incalculable damage, destruction and loss of life-in our universe."
"So it's true. You're from another reality."
"Yes," he said. "And you will do well to remember that our people are looking for us even now," he stated, adding a slight bluff in case someone had an idea to try to wear them down. "Computer, began program."
The room disappeared to the shock of most of the members present. What took its place were essentially the same images shown to Sheridan and the others over four months earlier. It was the most perfect holographic images they had even seen. The planet Earth and its moon appeared behind them and they saw a Federation Space station orbiting the planet. This time, the Twenty-third fleet in all its glory, was shown leaving the station. The sight of one hundred seventeen ships leaving earth orbit and warping away pulled a collective gasp from everyone in the room.
"This is our origin. And by our Charter, our rules and regulations, we will not stand by and allow those we chose to protect to be slaughtered by those who are more interested in following orders rather than doing what is right. You have a chance here to make a difference."
Three hours later, the USS Ambassador tractoring a hastily repaired Hyperion-class destroyer entered jump space at warp one. At that speed they would enter Earthspace in six hours and time was of the essence. They had to get there as fast as possible because it was very likely that the Centauri were attacking several other Terran possessions even as they sped towards Earth, an Earth that didn't know that the first blows had been struck.
On the bridge, Captain Rachel Garrett, General Brindley and several EAS officers-along with Fed security- stood looking at the violent swirling dimension of hyperspace rushing past at speeds they could barely fathom. Brindley appeared uninterested but she could tell that the man was taking in every bell and whistle, every nook and cranny, every station and vid screen, every section of ceiling, every seat, just about every scrap of data he could stuff in his mind. She smiled.
"Having fun, General?" The question was predatory, full of menace.
"I'm in charge of gathering data and capturing this ship. I'm responsible for capturing your crew and interrogating them to find out everything about the Federation. I don't have fun," he said, smiling back at her.
"None of this would have happened if you hadn't attacked Babylon Five. In our first encounter with Earth Force, two of your ships declared us pirates and would have fired on us given half the chance. It wasn't the best greetings we ever had for first contact." She was serious now. "Look about you, General. What should have been a meaningful cultural exchange turned out to be 'gunfight at the OK corral.' What a waste."
The General said nothing but she could see the wheels of his mind turning.
"Maybe this wasn't the best time to come visiting," he admitted. "But I follow the orders of the legitimate leadership of my Planet."
"Even if the leadership assassinated your previous President?"
"It's never been proven to my satisfaction that the explosion of his ship was anything more than an tragic accident."
"If you say so," she answered. She didn't believe him for a second.
"I must confess," Brindley said changing the subject. "Your vessel seems a lot more comfortable than I expected. I thought it would have a more military stance, at least on the bridge."
"This design offers the best we have in combining diplomatic and defensive mission together in one unit, Garrett answered proudly. My ship was barely five years old before we came here. The Enterprise is about the same age, but it's an unadulterated warship, pure hell on wheels, just like this one, when it has to be. Don't play with us and you won't get burned."
That was more than a threat Brindley surmised. That was a promise. "We've established a temporary truce, Captain. I will honor that truce. Your actions have been more or less defensive even if they were misguided," he added not being able to help himself. "Besides, you're not the threat the Centauri are. I have seen them in action and they'll leave Earth in ashes unless we mount a proper defense against them. I don't intend to wind up like the Narn."
She laughed in that disarmingly fashion which caused so many people to underestimate her. "Truce for now it is. Now, do you have any questions that I can't answer?"
"Billions and billions," he answered. "But, the first thing that's so noticeable is that your crew is so diverse. How does that work out?"
"The Federation lives by the credo 'infinite diversity in infinite combinations," she answered. "Exactly opposite of your Governments views, as it were. Simply put, we have learned to communicate with one another. For the most part, it works out. Most everyone has basically the same needs and desires. It's dependent on cultural and physiological uniqueness of course, but because we have that willingness to try, we have achieved lots of advances and overall peace with our most of our neighbors…"
"Except the Klingons."
"Yes," she admitted. "And a few others as well. Believe me, you do not want them here. We're not perfect, General, not even close. But we do try and we have not let species prejudice interfere with us. Now what would have happened," she asked, "if we had came to Earth with our mixed crew?"
He sighed. The distrust would have been immediate and the consequences dire, even disastrous. He knew she already knew the answer. Silence was answer enough.
"Then will you give me a little history as to how the Federation began?"
"You only have five hours not a week," the woman smirked. "This technology you see here is the result of cooperation of different races working together. And that's just the beginning. Eight thousand cubic light-years of space, not even twenty-one percent of the galaxy General, and we've barely scratched the surface. That is why we're out here. We're stuck in another universe, but there is so much to see and experience. Captain Jonathan Archer onboard the first Enterprise, about the size of the Yeager, more or less, started it all and his explorations and actions lead to the birth of the Federation."
Not attempting to cover up his curiosity, he moved closer to the screen to see the image of the first Captain of a starship called Enterprise. The images were wonderfully detailed and in many ways the internal bridge looked remarkably similar to a Hyperion's bridge. Even then, he saw the alien mixture. The female first officer appeared to be one of the long-eared Vulcans.
Their whole perspective of alien cultures differs from us so radically he thought. Earth is for Earth. I understand Clarke and I agree with much of what he says concerning alien influence even if I don't like the way he implements it. But, I wonder what a joint operation like this could accomplish? What if we had joined with the Minbari or the Narns instead of fighting against them? Could it have worked or would our mutual distrusts have caused a disaster?
He caught Garrett looking at him as though she could read his mind. He turned away slightly, embarrassed by whatever revelation that his face might have shown during his musings. To his joy, she continued on as if nothing had occurred.
"This is Captain Christopher Pike, in command of the first Constitution-class starship called Enterprise. And this man here is Captain James T. Kirk, he and his crew being one of the most famous and decorated in the entire Federation."
Brindley stood ramrod straight, mouth opened as he strained to understand the implications. "That face!"
"Yes," Garrett said simply. "He's the second match we've seen here. Major Griffin might find this Bio interesting reading…"
Enterprise-D:
Captain Sheridan walked swiftly into the medical bay and headed directly towards the isolation area that was currently the residence of Kosh of Vorlon. Next to him was Guinan matching him stride for stride. The telepathic summons had been irresistible, urgent and he had no choice but to respond. It was the fear and uncertainty in that short connection that had forced him to come running. With Picard's permission, doctors Crusher and Franklin left the room in order to give them the much-needed privacy.
John had no idea what he was going to see, but this was the last thing he expected as Ambassador Kosh stood looking at the two of them in his original containment suit fully rebuilt, without a scratch on it. Through some unknown Vorlon technology, the suit was much like his ship, in its own way a living entity, which had now repaired the terrible damage inflicted upon it by the Shadow triad.
"Ambassador," Sheridan smiled. "I am so glad that you are getting better."
Kosh bowed his head within the cumbersome suit. The translator slowly responded to the commands of its master. "It is twice now."
Sheridan suspected that he was referring to the fact that twice within three years someone had tried to kill him.
The translator began again without preamble. "The Empire is losing. The Shadows have prevailed. The three-edged sword is pointed at our throats."
John's heart sank. With the Vorlons out of the picture, there was little that could be done against a direct Shadow attack. "What's the status of the Vorlons? How long can they hold out?"
"The ones called Shadows have broken the agreement. They are true to their nature. They are the hunters. We were not prepared for their attack and the circle has been broken."
"Altered, not broken," Guinan corrected.
Kosh's response was to close his encounter suit's lens slightly.
"Right now Babylon Five is about to become the center-point of a light-years sized galactic war. We're not sure whose side anyone is on," said a very frustrated Captain. "Your people are in trouble, thousands are dying and the whole area is de-stabilized. And now the Shadows don't have a counterweight to keep their advances under some type of control. With them orchestrating everything what chance do we have? Even if we were able to muster everything we have, it wouldn't be enough against the Shadows and the Centauri and the other race that's attacking the Minbari. And what about that Shadow planet-killer cloud or whatever it is?" How do we go about fighting something like that?"
"Learn," Kosh said as his eyepiece began to widen and glow.
John slowly opened his eyes and found himself in an immense darkened chamber. Next to him were Guinan and his father-who-was-not-his-father.
"Kosh."
"Yes, Johnny, it's me," his not-father confirmed. "I thought this would be easier to explain things in this state."
"It's not a dream like before?"
"No, not this time."
"Why have you chosen my father's form?" Sheridan asked. "Is it to make me feel more comfortable or is it because you do somehow feel fatherly towards me?"
"Yes," Kosh answered simply.
Typical. "Where are we?"
"We're in that state where the conscious and unconscious meet in the existence you call the mind, backed by energy. It is a telepathic world that doesn't exist, Johnny. Here we can talk and not be intruded upon, unless we choose to be."
"What about the other telepaths onboard?"
"The phone number is unique, my boy. It's not a party line."
"And I'm here to ensure that it won't be," Guinan added. "Speaking of which…"
A moment later a startled Delenn popped next to John. For a moment, it seemed as if she were about to panic until she saw Guinan and John.
"Where are we?" But she already knew the answer because she had experienced this type of communication once before. "John," she said, smiling.
"John, Delenn, there's so much I wanted to tell you but as I said once before, it's hard to change and I was-afraid. But I almost lost that chance once and I will not repeat this mistake again. Guinan called me 'stiff' and she was right. My people are losing and are not long for the great journey, but you need to know the truth. I have told you that truth is a three-edged sword: your truth, mine and the truth itself."
"Then what is real, Kosh and what does it have to do with us?"
"The Shadows, in their perverse minds, feel that they are doing what's best for the younger races by promoting conflict. This is why they ask the question 'what do you want', because ultimately that question exacts a terrible price. They believe that conflict promotes strength. The Vorlons believe and understood that the opposite was true. 'Who are you' leads to understanding and enlightenment."
Guinan looked at Kosh and smirked slightly. "They're opposite sides of the coin, Captain. Neither which can understand or see the other's points of view and therefore, continue to fight against one another trying to prove they are right."
"Are you are trying to say that this whole conflict is a based on who's right?" John asked incredulously.
"You don't understand, John," the Vorlon-Dad said. "We want what is best for all of you. You need our guidance and wisdom so that you don't make the same mistakes that we have."
Guinan shook her head. "Delenn, John. I have had this discussion with Kosh several times now. What they don't seem to understand is that you're at the stage where you can decide for yourselves what you choose to be or what you choose to do. Guidance is important but not if it smothers, which is what is happening right now. Both the Vorlons and Shadows were appointed guardians for the younger races, but they have forgotten their purpose. The Shadows now interfere instead of guiding and there is no one to stop them. It may be possible to open a dialog with them, however, right now, you are simply raw material to play with."
"You're going to have to deal with this yourself, Johnny. My people are leaving for the outer Rim soon and there will be none left to help except your fellow races. You and yours will now have to make the difference."
"So you're going to abandon us when we need you the most," Delenn said quietly, nodding her head. "When we need you the most, you will abandon us."
"No," Kosh responded. "I will stay-for a while. If I don't, then John will go to Z'ha'dum and he will die." The Human-Vorlon turned his head and pointed towards the blackness. "For now, this is your problem," he said, looking a cloud that appeared in the distance. "There were five Shadow death clouds. My people have destroyed two. One is held in reserve and two will be used to destroy any opposition. It is protected by the Shadow force and the Drakh."
"What are the Drakh?"
"The ones that have attack your people, Delenn. Beware of them, for their power is far greater than you can imagine. They are a world devoted to the teachings of the Shadows. The shedding of blood is their life." He continued once more looking at the rapidly approaching cloud. "There is a weakness here, " he said, pointing to small section of the massive missile structure. "It is heavily protected but if you can, then you can destroy it. It will take nothing less than a twenty megaton warhead to achieve your mission and the costs will be high, unless you have help."
"Then we will have to get that help," an iron-willed Delenn stated. "I will call for a conference at Babylon Five of all of our allies and we shall have an army to fight against the darkness."
"The circle, Delenn has been altered by the presence of Guinan and the others. That which I have known to be destiny has been altered. I don't know whether you or your 'army of light' can win with the forces that are arrayed against you. The enemies will try to destroy you if they can before the meeting can take place."
"We will deal with that," Delenn answered. "But why haven't they come to help you? Didn't your own people care that you were close to death?" When the Ambassador had been poisoned years ago and was close to death, an entire Vorlon taskforce assembled outside of Babylon Five to extract then Captain Sinclair for trial, who had been accuse of the plot to kill Kosh. This time there was nothing.
"There was no need."
"Why?"
The Vorlon creature refused to answer and the air around him grew colder.
"I understand why," Sheridan suddenly said. "Every since this so-called circle has been altered, they have no idea what's to happen next and they're afraid of making things worse, so they choose to nothing."
The Vorlon-man sighed heavily. "Yes. It is hoped that I will be able to return the circle to its original reflection. They delude themselves. When the Federation came, there was no going back.
"But can we defeat the Shadows?" Sheridan asked.
"Your allies will give you a fighting chance, if you have the time. The Federation technology given to you is powerful, but it may not be enough for the time you have before it begins. The Shadows will not interfere unless they feel threatened with defeat. They want this fight, the bloodier it is, the better. But, they will attack if their interests are threatened. Your proposed alliance is a threat to them. It is not the way of chaos."
"Well I don't care what they think," an angry Sheridan snarled. "What we do is our choice, not yours or the Shadows or anyone else who tries to decide for us. We will follow the rules, our rules that govern us. We may fall on our faces. Yes, we will make mistakes, but we'll get up and move on. And we will deal with our mistakes, not you.
John's anger subsided somewhat. "Kosh, we want your advice and wisdom, but we have to decide things for ourselves. Your parental responsibility is passing. It is time for us to get up and leave the house. Birds have to leave the nest and so do we. The parents can only hope for the best and trust in their teachings."
"Remember the sword, John. The truth is sharper than anything you can imagine."
"They will remember," Guinan said. "They will make mistakes as we all have. But they will learn from them. That is their strength. Just wait and see."
A few moments later, Sheridan and Guinan were back in the Medical bay facing the Ambassador.
"Will you stay? Sheridan asked.
The Vorlon Ambassador bowed and said one word.
"Yes."
Sheridan moved to the comm unit. This is Captain Sheridan. Captain Picard? We need to talk."
"On my way, Captain Sheridan."